Spring plank



Nov. 24; 1931. APPS 1,832,849

SPRING- PLANK Filed Jan. 51., 1931 7 I INVENTOR. CHARLES H. APPS A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 24, p 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES H. APPS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, WILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 01' PENNSYLVANIA SPRING PLANK This invention relates to trucks for railway rolling stock and more particularly to the spring planks for use in such trucks.

The principal object of my invention 1s to provide a spring plank having integral means adapted, when the-spring plank is embodied in a truck, to interlock with each of the truck side frames, thus obviating the use of bolts or rivets to secure the spring plank in place and alsohaving integral means for maintaining the bolster spring assemblage in proper position under the ends of the truck bolster without the use of separate spring seats. 7 The above object Iaccomplish by striking lugs downwardly from the web of the sprlng plank which are adapted to interlock w1th the side frames and by striking lugs upwardly from the web which are adapted to interlock with the spring assemblage.

In the accompanying drawings; Fig.1 1s a side elevational view of an arch bar truck with my improved spring plank embodied therein; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the bolster being shown, in elevation; Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary cross sectional view illustratmg my improved spring plank mounted ona cast truck side frame; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan view of one end of the spring plank; Fig. 5'is an end elevational View of the same; 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 4:; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view through one end of a modified form of the invention; and Fig, 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through one end of another modified formof the in .vention. j

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, thetruck may be of the ordinary arch bar type comprising a side frame having top and bottom arch bars 1 and 2 and a tie bar 8. Vertically disposed between the arch bars and secured -theret0 in the usual manner are spaced column posts or'bolster guides 4 which are adapted to guide one end of a truckv bolthree elliptical springs which are arranged side by side and secured together at their ends in the usual manner. Each spring comprises the usual upper and lower sets of spring leaves, each of which sets are encircled by the usual spring band 8.

The spring plank 7 is preferably U-shape in cross section having a horizontally dlsposed web 9 and vertically disposed edge flanges 10 which extend upwardly from the web 9, each end of the web 9 resting on the bottom arch bar 2 of the adjacent side frame. At or adjacent each end of the spring plank and on each side of the longitudinal center line thereof, lugs 11 and 12 are struck downwardly from the web 9. These lugs at each side of the spring plank are spaced apart in the direction of the length of the spring plank, so that when the web 9 is seated on the side frame, the lugs 11 and 12 will engage the outer and inner edges respectively of the adjacent bottom arch bar 2 and thus maintain the spring plank against movement transversely of the truck. Movement of thespring plank longitudinally of the truck is prevented by the flanges 10 engaging the bolster guides 4. It will here be noted that the spring plank is held in its proper position on the side frames without the use of bolts or rivets.

Adjacent each end of the spring plank 7 and on each side of the longitudinal center line thereof, a pair of lugs 13 and 14 are struck upwardly from the web 9, which lugs are spaced apart in the direction of the length of the spring plank and are adapted to receive the lower spring bands 8 between them.

IN I

When the spring assemblage 6 is mounted on the spring plank 7, the bottom surfaces of the lower spring bands 8 rest on the upper surface of the web 9 and the lugs 13 and l t of each pair engage the opposite end edges of two of the lower spring bands 8, that is to say, the pair of lugs at one side of the spring )lank engage the end edges of the spring and of one of the end springs and of the intermediate spring, and the pair of lugs at the other side of the spring plank engage the end edges of the spring band of the intermediate spring and of the other end spring. It will thus be seen that the lugs 13 and 1 are adapted to maintain the spring assemblage 6 against movement transversely of the truck without the use of the usual spring seatwhich has heretofore been riveted or bolted to the spring plank.

In Fig. 7 a modification of the invention is shown in which the lugs 11 are formed by bending the end of the web 9 downwardly.

In Fig. 8 a further modification of the invention is illustrated in which the lugs 11 and 12 and lugs 13 and 14 are not bent at right angles to the web 9 as in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, but are merely slightly offset from the web 9.

lVhile several illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit its scope to such embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a'truck for railway rolling stock comprising side frames and a truck bolster loose- I y mounted in said side frames, the combination with a spring plank having a horizontally disposed web resting at each side of the truck on one of said side frames, of lugs struck downwardly from each end portion of said web engaging the opposite sides of one of said side frames for maintaining the spring plank against movement transveisely of the truck, a spring assemblage interposed b tween one of the end portions of said web and the corresponding end portion of said truck bolster for yieldably supporting the end of the bolster from the adjacent side frame, and lugs struck upwardly from the web of the spring plank engaging the spring assemblage to maintain the spring emblage against bodily movement relative 1 1 the spring plank.

2. In a truck for railway rolling stock comprising side frames and a truck bolster loosely mounted in said side frames, the combination with a spring plank having a horizontally disposed web resting at each side of the truck on one of said side frames, of lugs struck downwardly from each end portion of said web engaging the opposite sides of one of said side frames for maintaining the spring plank against movement transversely of the truck, a spring assemblage resting on each end of said web and supporting said truck bolster, and lugs struck upwardly from said web engaging said spring assemblage to maintain said assemblage in its proper seated position on the spring plank.

3. In a truck for railway rolling stock comprising side frames and a truck bolster loosely mounted in said side frames, the combination with a spring plank having a horizontally disposed web resting at each side of the truck on one of said side frames, of lugs struck downwardly from each end portion of said web engaging the opposite sides of one of said side frames for maintaining the spring plank against movement transversely of the truck, a spring assemblage supporting each end of the truck bolster from an adjacent side frame, said spring assemblage comprising an elliptical spring, a band for said spring resting on said web, and lugs struck upwardly from said web engaging opposite ends of the spring band and maintaining the elliptical spring in its proper seated position on said Web.

i. In a truck for railway rolling stock comprising side frames and a truck bolster loosely mounted in said side frames, the combination with a spring plank having a horizontally disposed web resting at each side of the truck on one of said side frames, of lugs struck downwardly from each end portion of said web engaging the opposite sides of one of said side frames for maintaining the spring plank against movement transversely of the truck, a spring assemblage supporting each end of the truck bolster from an adjacent side frame, said spring assemblage comprising three elliptical springs arranged side by side, a spring band on each of said elliptical springs seated on said web, and two sets of lugs struck upwardly from said web engaging opposite ends of said spring bands and maintaining the spring assemblage against movement relative to the spring plank in directions transversely of the truck, each set of lugs engaging two of said spring bands.

In a truck for railway rolling stock comprising side frames and a truck bolster loosely mounted in said side frames, the combination with a spring plank having a horizontally disposed web resting at each side of the truck on one of said side frames, of lugs struck downwardly from each end portion of said web engaging the opposite sides of one of said side frames for maintaining the spring plank against movement transversely of the truck, a. spring assemblage supporting each end of the truck bolster from an adj acent side frame, said spring assemblage comprising three elliptical springs arranged side by side, a spring band on each of said elliptical springs seated on said web, a pair of lugs struck upwardly from said web engaging the opposite ends of one spring band of one of the end springs and the opposite ends of the spring band of the intermediate spring, and a pair of lugs struck upwardly from said web engaging the opposite ends of the spring band of the intermediate spring and the opposite ends of the spring band of the other end spring, said lugs maintain- 1 ing the spring assemblage against movement longitudinally of the spring plank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 28th day of January, 1931.

CHARLES H. APPS. 

